Charity information: Bristol Refugee Rights

Need

- The asylum system is complicated.
- Asylum seekers are not able to work and have limited access to statutory financial support and accommodation. This results in high levels of poverty and homelessness which can last for many years.
-There are no other places in Bristol to signpost to for asylum support.
- Legal aid is not available.
-With insufficient support women particularly are vulnerable to exploitation including trafficking, slavery and sexual abuse.

Solution

Asylum seekers will receive advice on making applications for Asylum Support.
They will receive support with making applications and with challenging refusals.
Asylum seekers will be supported throughout the application and appeal process to gather evidence to support their claim and to respond to Home Office requests for additional information.

Aim 1

To reduce the impact of poverty and destitution for asylum seekers in Bristol

Activities

» Train and support volunteers to conduct interviews and provide administrative support to the project. » Provide access to advocacy, information, advice and support at BRR's Welcome Centre. » Gather data to inform judicial challenges and campaigning.

What success will look like

We anticipate helping more than 70 people to find accommodation and support in Bristol and surrounding area over 7 months.

Impact

Medium term impact includes support (accommodation and financial support) through Section 95, Section 4, Local Authority, national trafficking mechanism, or local housing association. Longer term impact includes obtaining refugee status, employment and integration into the wider community.

Risk

Lack of funding is a risk; we apply to diverse funding sources in line with our income generation strategy. We have a Finance and Fundraising sub committee who meet at least quarterly to plan strategically, a Fundraiser and other staff who support fundraising.
Sufficient and suitable volunteers to support and stay with the project - we have a Volunteer Manager who recruits and trains volunteers for all of the projects BRR run. We can appeal to networks when we are short of volunteers.

Reporting

Individual donors can receive regularly project updates and general supporters receive a quarterly newsletter. We write formal reports on projects for trusts and foundations. Sign up to our newsletter from our website.

Current Funding / Pledges

Location

Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR) is a registered charity, the largest and most well established drop-in centre for asylum seekers and refugees in Bristol. Founded in 2006, BRR is a highly respected service delivery and campaigning organisation. The Asylum Support Project runs from BRR's Welcome Centre at Malcolm X Community Centre in St Pauls.

Beneficiaries

Asylum seekers and refused asylum seekers will benefit from this project. The main countries people have fled include: Syria, Sudan, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why Us?

Each day we welcome and support an average of 79 asylum seekers and refugees. 83% of members said that coming to the Welcome Centre makes them feel a lot better and 72% of members said the advice and support they received was very useful, 28% said it was useful.